1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chicory extracts. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods of extracting sesquiterpene lactones from chicory.
2. Description of Related Art
Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is a perennial herb native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia and naturalized in North America. There are many commercial uses of the plant, leading to the development of several distinct cultivars. Chicory roots are dried and roasted and used as a coffee substitute. Young and tender roots can also be boiled and eaten. The chicons (shoots and leaves) are grown for consumption in salads and vegetable dishes. Chicory extracts can be added to alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Besides its alimentary use, chicory also has a history of medicinal use. Chicory roots have been used as a digestive aid, diuretic, laxative and mild sedative. Hepatoprotective agents have been described in the seeds. Chicory is recognized as a good source of dietary fibers such as inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides, which have health-promoting properties. Its aqueous, ethanolic, and methanolic extracts have been shown to affect cholesterol uptake and tumor development in mice, prevent immunotoxicity induced by ethanol, and have anti-inflammatory proprieties in vitro and in vivo. Studies have linked sesquiterpene lactones, the bitter agents in chicory, to some of the anti-inflammatory health benefits. Sesquiterpene lactones are C15 terpenoid compounds that have a range of biological and pharmaceutical activities. They have been reported as the active compounds of some well-known medicinal plants, such as Arnica montana (leopard's bane) and Tanacetum parthenium (feverfew) and have been used clinically for migraines and arthritis. Studies have shown that sesquiterpene lactones inhibit pro-inflammatory gene expression through inactivation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Several pro-inflammatory genes, including those coding for cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and interleukin 1, beta (Il1β) contain a binding site in their promoter region for NF-κB and therefore their expression can be mediated through the NF-κB pathway.
Inflammation plays an important role in the development of various diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and arteriosclerosis. Inflammatory diseases are currently treated with steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Unfortunately, both of these widely-prescribed drug classes have significant negative side effects, reducing their use in certain segments of the population. There is a need to develop new drugs with novel modes of action that do not produce considerable side effects. The uses of plant extracts as anti-inflammatory therapeutics are widely reported and can provide safe, efficacious, and cost-effective alternatives to synthetic drugs.
For example, a pharmaceutical composition containing chicory extract can be used to treat inflammatory and auto-immune diseases including but not limited to rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and skin rushes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, allergic rhinitis, cardiovascular disease, lupus, and metabolic syndrome.